Pressure reducing valve



Oct. 28, 1969 s, m-{N ETAL 3,474,822 PRESSURE REDUCING VALVE Filed May7, i968 INVENTOR$ flcwzr 5. KUH'A/ 22 /a w a/u o- United States PatentUS. Cl. 137-505.41 2 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A miniaturepressure reducing control valve for low pressures comprising a hollowbody structure constructed to provide a fluid chamber, open at one end,which is closed by a diaphragm, the body structure having a fluidpassage therein for operatively connecting the chamber to a fluidsupply, a valve structure operative to control the fluid into saidchamber disposed in said passage and operatively connected to thediaphragm for actuation thereby in opposition to Spring means biasingsaid valve structure in an open position, said body structure having apassage communicating with said chamber and forming a port for dischargeof fluid therefrom.

Background of the invention The invention is directed to a miniaturepressure reducing control valve for reducing the pressure of a fluid asfor example oxygen from a relatively high supply pressure to arelatively low utilization pressure, as for example, on the order of onepound or less at which the valve will automatically shut off. The deviceis of particular application in connection with the filling of smallelastic articles to insure inflation to the desired low pressure, as forexample a predetermined number of ounces per square inch.

The invention has among its objects the production of such a valvestructure which will provide the desired control and at the same time isexceedingly small, for example, capable of being constructed ingenerally cylindrical form having an overall diameter on the order ofone-inch or less and only several inches in length, enabling its use,for example, directly on the discharge nozzle of a fluid supply line.

Another object of the invention is the production of such a valvestructure which, although of miniaturized construction, is extremelysimple in construction and employs comparatively large, rugged workingelements.

A further object of the invention is the production of such a structure,the output pressure of which is readily adjustable substantially up tothe supply pressure, and which may be readily and economically produced.

Many other objects and advantages of the construction herein shown anddescribed will be obvious to those skilled in the art from thedisclosure herein given.

Summary of the invention A pressure reducing and control valve structureconstructed in accordance with the present invention employs.

a hollow body structure, illustrated as being formed in two parts, oneof which is provided with a bore therein forming a chamber which isclosed by a diaphragm, the body having two passages therein, both ofwhich communicate with the chamber, in which one of the passagescomprises a fluid inlet port and the other a fluid discharge port.Disposed in the passage forming the fluid inlet is a valve structurewhich may be constructed similar to the usual valve inside employed inautomobile tire valve stems in which the valve member thereof isoperatively connected to a stem axially aligned with the valve memberand secured to the diaphragm, with the stem and valve member being urgedin an open position "ice by a spring disposed at the outer side of thediaphragm.

In the filling operation the chamber is in direct communication by meansof the discharge passage with the object being filled whereby the fluidpressure in such chamber, corresponds with the fluid pressure in thearticle being filled. When the pressure in the chamber exceeds thebiasing force of the spring means disposed at the opposite side of thediaphragm, movement of the latter will be transmitted to the valve stemwhereby the valve member will move into an operatively closed position,thereby shutting off further flow of the fluid controlled by the valve.

The construction preferably is such that most of the components may bereadily produced by screw machine operations, at the same timepermitting simple and accurate adjustment of the pressure at which thevalve closes.

Brief description of drawings In the drawings wherein like referencecharacters indicate like or corresponding parts;

FIG. 1 is a top plan view of a valve structure embodying the invention;

FIG. 2 is a sectional view taken approximately on the line IIII of FIG.1; and

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary sectional view taken approximately on the lineIII--III of FIG. 2.

Detailed description of the invention The embodiment of the inventionillustrated in the drawings comprises a body structure or member,indicated generally by the numeral 1, illustrated as :being of generallycylindrical construction having an axially disposed bore therein,indicated generally by the numeral 2, provided at its lower end with aninternally threaded portion 3 and at its upper end with an enlargedcounter bore 4 forming a fluid receiving chamber, the lower portion 5 ofwhich is of lesser diameter than the portion 4 but greater in diameterthan the portion 2, with the juncture there'between forming one offsetor shoulder 6. The body member 1 is also provided with a radiallyextending passage 7 therein forming the discharge port for the chamberand having a fitting 8 threaded therein which is provided at its outerend with an object engaging nipple 9, adapted to be inserted in thefiller opening of the object to be inflated. Disposed in the body member1 is a valve supporting member 11, the upper end of which is disposed inthe portion 5 with the lower end of the member 11 being provided withexternal threads thereon engaged with the threaded portion 3 of the bodymember and locked in position by a nut 12. The valve supporting member11 is provided with an annular groove 13 therein, which is positionedbelow the offset 6 and carries an O-ring 14 engageable with the adjacentwall of the bore 2, to elfectively seal the juncture between the valvesupporting member 11 and the body member 1, and at the same timepermitting axial adjustment of the member 11 with respect to the bodymember, for compensation of manufacturing tolerances, valve travel, etc.

The valve supporting member 11 is provided with an axially extendingbore 15, the upper end of which is enlarged and provided with internalthreads 16, adjacent the lower end of which is a downwardly taperingseat 17. Threaded into the portion 16 is a downwardly depending valvebody 18 provided with a tapering portion 19 shaped complementally to theseat 17 and preferably formed from a resilient material, as for examplea layer of natural or synthetic rubber, or the like, thereby forming aneffective fluid-tight seal between the valve supporting member 11 andthe valve body 18. Disposed in the axially extending 'bore 21 of thevalve body 18 is a valve stem 22, having a generally conically shapedvalve or sealing mem- -ber 23, of a resilient material such as a naturalor synthetic rubber, which is cooperable with the valve seat 24- at thelower end of the valve body 18. Thus by upward movement of the valvestem 22 and engagement of the surface of the member 23 with the seat 24,the passage to the chamber 4 formed by the bore may be closed. Theoperating movement of the valve stem 22 is controlled by an actuatingstem 25, provided at its lower end with a cylindrical recess 25' inwhich is disposed a spherically shaped projection 22', formed on theupper end of the valve stem 22, whereby movement of the actuating stem25 may be transmitted to the valve stem 22.

The upper end of the actuating stem 25 is operatively connected to aflexible diaphragm 26, the peripheral edges of which are secured to theupper end of the body member 1 by suitable means, illustrated ascomprising an O-ring 27 which clamps the peripheral edge of thediaphragm in an annular groove 28 in the periphery of the body member 1.The diaphragm 26 is illustrated as being firmly clamped between twowashers 29, the lower of which is seated on a suitable abutment member31, which may consist of a threaded washer carried by external threadson the stem 25, with the entire assembly being locked in position by asuitable nut 32 likewise threaded on the stem 25. This construction isparticularly suitable where it is desired to provide an adjustment ofthe stem with respect to the diaphragm. However, where such anadjustment is not necessary the abutment member 31 may, for example,take the form of a snap ring which is locked in an annular grove on thestem 25.

The upper portion of the stem 25 and diaphragm 26 is enclosed by a covermember, indicated generally by a numeral 33, having a cylindrical sidewall 34, the inner diameter of which is so selected that it will effecta compression of the O-ring 27, thereby firmly locking the O- ring inclamping relation. The side wall of the cover member may be providedwith a slot 35 adapted to receive the fitting 8, and the cover membermay be secured to the body 1 by any suitable means, as for example bystaking 36 at spaced points about the periphery of the cover member toswedge the material thereof into an annular grove 37 in the body member1.

The cover member is provided at its upper end with an axially extendingtubular portion 38, the interior of which is threaded and is adapted toreceive a set screw 39, engageable with the upper end of a compressionspring 41, the lower end of which bears on the nut 32, thus urging theactuating stem 25 and valve stem 22 in a downward direction as viewed inFIG. 2, which represents the open position of the valve. Thus theadjustment of the set screw 39, the compression of the spring 41 may bevaried and the closing pressure of the valve thereby adjusted.

As illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 3, the valve body must be provided at itsupper end with an upwardly directed, diametrically extending relativelynarrow projection 42 through which the valve stem 22 extends. Inassembly, the valve body may be readily turned down into operativeposition by means of a suitable tubular tool having an inner diameterslightly greater than that of the stem 25, and having a slot in thelower end thereof of a size to receive the projection 42. Likewise thecover member may be provided with a vent passage 43, therein to insureequalization of the air pressure within the cover member with theexternal air pressure, as well as function as a safety valve in theevent the diaphragm 26 ruptures.

Assuming the device is employed in connection with the filling of aninflatable article, following engagement of the nipple 9 with the filleropening of such article, fluid is supplied to the lower end of the bore15 from which it may flow through. the valve body 18 into the lowerportion '5 of the receiving chamber and discharge through the fitting 8.This will continue until the pressure within the article being inflatedand thus in the chamber 4 reaches a sufficient magnitude that thediaphragm 26 and with it the actuating stem 25 is moved in an upwarddirection, as viewed in FIG. 2, in opposition to the action of thecompression spring 41, a suflicient distance to effect a seating of thevalve or sealing member 23 on the cooperable valve seat 24 of the valvebody 18, thereby preventing further flow of fluid into the chamber 4 andthe article being inflated. The pressure within such article and in thechamber 4 operative to actuate the closure of the valve structure may bereadily determined by adjustment of the set screw 39, to vary thebiasing force on the diaphragm. To protect the set screws as well asprevent tampering with the adjustment thereof, a suitable cap 44 may beprovided, for example of a suitable rubber or other material whereby thecap may be readily frictionally engaged with the free end of the rubberportion 28.

It will be apparent from the above disclosure that we have provided avery simple yet highly efficient pressure reducing and shut-off valvestructure which is exceedingly compact in size and at the same time veryefficient for controlling the low pressure filling of inflatablearticles and the like.

We claim:

1. A miniature pressure reducing valve for low pressure operation,comprising a hollow body structure constructed to provide a fluidchamber open at one end, said body structure having a passage thereincommunicating with and forming a fluid discharge port for said chamberand provided with a discharge fitting, a diaphragm closing said openend, said body structure having a fluid inlet passage therein foroperatively connecting said chamber with a fiuid supply, which fluidinlet passage is formed by a tubular, valve-supporting member secured tosaid body structure and extending outwardly therefrom to provide aninlet fitting for connection to a fluid supply, gasket means disposedbetween said body structure and valve supporting member, the latterhaving an internally threaded portion at its inner end, a valvestructure operative to control the flow of fluid into said chamber,comprising a valve body threaded into said threaded portion and havingan external conical sealing face bearing on a complemental seat formedin said supporting member, means operatively connecting said diaphragmand said valve structure for controlling the actuation thereofcomprising an actuating stern movable with said diaphragm and having anend operatively connected with the other end of said valve stem fortransmitting movement of the diaphragm thereto, the connection of saidvalve stem with the actuating stem comprising a generally sphericallyshaped projection on the adjacent end of the valve stem, disposed in acomplemental recess in the adjacent end of said actuating stem, theinner end of said valve body, with respect to said valve supportingmember, terminating in a valve seat, a valve stem disposed in said valvebody and having an end extending therefrom at said valve seat, a valveelement carried by such exposed end of the valve stem cooperable withsaid valve seat for selectively closing said inlet passage a generallycylindrically shaped cover member having a depending side wallconcentrically disposed with respect to the end portion of said bodystructure carrying said diaphragm, the latter extending over said openend and back along the adjacent exterior side-wall surface thereof,which is provided with a circumferentially extending groove therein, anO-ring engageable with said diaphragm to maintain the peripheralportions thereof in said groove, said depending side wall of said covermember enclosing the O-ring and adjacent portion of the diaphragm, saidcover member having an internally threaded, axially extending boretherein, spring means for biasing said valve structure in an openposition comprising a compression spring extending into said bore, and aset screw disposed in said bore and engageable with the adjacent end ofsaid spring, the opposite end of the latter being disposed to applybiasing pressure on said actuating stem.

2. A pressure reducing valve according to claim 1, wherein said bodystructure is provided with a second circumferentially disposed groove,said cover member 2,662,349 12/1953 Akerlind 137-505.42 having aninwardly directed projection thereon extending 3,231,144 1/1966 Rouanet25186 XR into said second groove for locking said cover member 3,260,2787/1966 Lund 137505.42 XR to said body structure, said cover memberhaving a vent 3,336,843 8/1967 Griswold 92102 XR passage thereincommunicating with the interior of the 5 cover member for equalizing airpresure therein. HAROLD W. WEAKLEY, Primary Examiner References Cited 5.1

UNITED STATES PATENTS 92 9 102; 251 8 2,615,287 10/1952 Senesky137-505.42

